The most important (and sometimes invisible) part of a story

I just returned from a Visiting Orphans trip to San Lucas, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala.  It was the first VO team I lead solo, and it turned out to be an incredible experience for all of us.  One of my kiddo's even got to come with me.  I shared photos on facebook so family and friends could follow along and see what God is doing at a place called Village of Hope - Guatemala.

You see, I believe there is a divine kind of power that comes from sharing our stories, life lessons and divine appointments.  And more importantly, I believe that others need to hear our stories so they won't be afraid of saying "yes" to something they've been thinking about for a long, long time.

Some people "liked" our Guatemala team pics and others "loved" them. 

But something was missing.

Someone was missing.

You see, ordinary people like me don't just decide one day to hop on a plane and fly off to another country to love on missionaries and spend time caring for abandoned and abused children.  It takes preparation and sacrifice and planning...it takes a leader to step up and do the REAL work.

This is the pic that was missing from my most recent trip.  This is the person who made that trip (and all the other ones - and ones to come) possible:

Some people have asked me what my husband thinks of the CRAZY things I do, and I finally found an article that sounds very much like the life my better half and I have lived for 20 years.  He's the reason we have the children we do, he's the reason we have gone through, survived and thrived after heartaches, and it's his faith and trust and love of God that makes our wonderful, hectic, imperfect, crazy life even possible.

Someday he wants to lead teams with me, but for now he leads me by leading behind the scenes and making sure that when he drops me off at the airport with 200 lbs of luggage plus a carry-on, I have everything I need and that things on the home-front will stay mostly 'normal' while I'm gone.

I share the following blog post because what is said in this story is part of our story, too.  Maybe it's a story you or someone you love needs to hear today. 

http://jasonjohnsonblog.com/blog/for-the-unsure-husband

A Special One went to Heaven this week

Dear Emma,

 

"By the time this post is written and posted to my blog you will have already met Jesus.  I can only imagine what that first meeting was like!  I know you are healed completely now, and that gives those of us with broken hearts, tremendous peace.  Knowing you for a short time made many people become better people.  Your life mattered.  And though your life on Earth was far too short for those who loved you and wanted to keep you close a little longer, your life in Heaven will be perfect.  But you already know that, now, don't you.   You will never be forgotten.  Ever. You are one of God's special ones.  And heaven became brighter this week, when you walked through the gates."
  

Mission trips are important.  Going to people, Being with them and showing them Love matters.  And the photo above was a day that mattered.  This was the day Emma (sitting on the right) decided to ask Jesus into his heart.  This was the day a very special short-term missions team was doing what they were asked to do; tell these kids about a God who loves them.  And coincidentally (not!), the girl sharing the Bible story this day was just 19 years old; prooving once again that our youth are going to be world changers as long as the adults in their lives don't spend too much time trying to keep them "safe." 

I told Chelsea this afternoon about Emma and her reaction was exactly what I expected it to be.  After all, she was one of many people touched by him and who never stopped praying he would be healed.

The mom in me doesn't want my children to hurt.  To feel sadness.  To be in pain.  But more importantly, I don't want them to turn away from those who are hurting, who feel sadness or who are in pain.  I want them to live life fully and without regrets.  I don't want them to be afraid of getting dirty, inconvenienced or heartbroken.  I want them to take risks.  I want them to do what God's called all of us to do; love Him and love others.

Chelsea said she is especially glad she was one of the "lucky" ones to have gotten to meet this little boy last summer.  And already she's trying to figure out what she can do to try and help another child who needs a friend right about now.  Something tells me her upcoming Spring Break trip to Guatemala will be even more meaningful now.

 
If there is one thing I want to avoid and want my children to avoid, it would be this; a life of depraved indifference.

-for Kayla, Amanda and to everyone at Sole Hope who climbed through brick walls with their bare hands to love Emma until Jesus welcomed him home.